Written Answers Monday 28 August 2006

Scottish Executive

Arts

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to publish a response to the Thundering Hooves report into Edinburgh’s festivals and, if so, when it will do so.

Patricia Ferguson: The Scottish Executive and the other members of the client group who commissioned the Thundering Hooves report – the Scottish Arts Council, EventScotland, City of Edinburgh Council, Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothian and Festivals Edinburgh – welcomed the report when it was published on 30 May.

  We have asked the Scottish Arts Council to continue to lead the client group in developing an action plan in the light of the report’s recommendations. We do not plan to publish a separate response to the report.

Central Heating Programme

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering including the replacement of obsolete and inefficient boilers in warm air ducted central heating systems in the next phase of the central heating programme.

Johann Lamont: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond.

  Her response is as follows:

  The replacement of inefficient central heating systems, including warm air ducted systems, is already included in the central heating programme for householders who are over 80 and have a partial or inefficient system. From January 2007, the programme will be widened to include the replacement of partial and inefficient systems of householders who are over 60 and in receipt of the guaranteed element of Pension Credit.

  Eligible householders with warm air ducted systems can choose to replace their system with one of the systems currently available under the programme.

Central Heating Programme

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether biomass heating systems will be eligible for support under the free central heating programme for pensioners, in light of increasing oil and gas prices.

Malcolm Chisholm: I recently announced that we are running a two-year pilot project to assess the impact of renewable technologies on fuel poverty and evaluate the costs and benefits for the fuel poor of including these in the central heating programme. Biomass boilers will be one of the technologies included in the pilot alongside air source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps, solar water heaters and micro-wind.

Council Tax

David McLetchie (Edinburgh Pentlands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many households have been awarded a reduction in their council tax under the Disabled Band Reduction scheme, broken down by local authority.

George Lyon: The information requested is given in the following table.

  Households Benefiting from Disabled Band Reduction Scheme

  

 Local Authority
 2005


 Scotland
 13,186


 Aberdeen City
 344


 Aberdeenshire
 542


 Angus
 289


 Argyll and Bute
 351


 Clackmannanshire
 164


 Dumfries and Galloway
 491


 Dundee City
 330


 East Ayrshire
 391


 East Dunbartonshire
 288


 East Lothian
 228


 East Renfrewshire
 208


 Edinburgh, City of
 820


 Eilean Siar
 92


 Falkirk
 391


 Fife
 765


 Glasgow City
 1,333


 Highland
 626


 Inverclyde
 158


 Midlothian
 199


 Moray
 258


 North Ayrshire
 399


 North Lanarkshire
 837


 Orkney Islands
 91


 Perth and Kinross
 400


 Renfrewshire
 433


 Scottish Borders
 231


 Shetland Islands
 48


 South Ayrshire
 428


 South Lanarkshire
 1,044


 Stirling
 303


 West Dunbartonshire
 227


 West Lothian
 477



  Source: As reported by councils in the CTAXBASE form (Council Tax Base form) returned in September 2005.

Dentistry

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether dentists are obliged to deregister NHS patients who have not attended for a check-up or treatment for over six months.

Lewis Macdonald: No. However, a patient requires to attend the dentist at least once during the registration period in order for the registration to be rolled-on for a further period. The registration period was extended from 15 months to 36 months for those patients who register or re-register with a dentist on or after 1 April 2006. If a patient does not attend the dentist at least once during the registration period the arrangement will lapse and the patient will no longer be registered with that dentist. Once a patient’s registration has lapsed it is for the dentist to decide if he/she is prepared to enter into a new registration arrangement with the patient.

Dyslexia

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have been tested for dyslexia in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority area.

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many young offenders have been tested for dyslexia and how many have (a) gone on to re-offend and (b) been offered sufficient support after being diagnosed with dyslexia in each year since 1997, broken down by sheriff court area.

Robert Brown: This information is not held centrally.

Enterprise

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding was given to help to start up businesses that were headquartered in Scotland and which agencies provided the funding in each year between 1999 and 2005.

Nicol Stephen: Funding to assist start up businesses is available from a range of sources, which can include the enterprise networks and local authorities, as well as private sources. Information on all such funding is not collected centrally. Details of the support available from the enterprise networks is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Enterprise

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-26513 by Nicol Stephen on 27 June 2006, how much funding has been clawed back from foreign companies that were in receipt of regional selective assistance (RSA) because they failed to meet the conditions attached to the funding concerning job targets or target investment levels, broken down by (a) year since 1999 and (b) local authority area.

Nicol Stephen: In the period from 1 April 1999 to 31 March 2006, the total amount of RSA recovered from foreign companies was almost £44 million. The following table shows the amount by each accounting year and by local authority area.

  Recoveries from Foreign Companies from 1 April 1999 to 31 March 2006

  

 
 Total
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06


 North Lanarkshire
 9,629,000
 1,129,000
 
 
 500,000
 8,000,000
 
 


 South Lanarkshire
 1,880,896
 88,215
 175,000
 1,470,000
 
 100,000
 47,681
 


 North Ayrshire
 667,000
 633,000
 34,000
 
 
 
 
 


 South Ayrshire
 20,000
 
 
 
 20,000
 
 
 


 Renfrewshire
 968,295
 385,320
 
 430,000
 73,000
 
 79,975
 


 West Lothian
 20,888,121
 1,098,039
 30,932
 16,966,014
 2,473,136
 
 320,000
 


 East Dunbartonshire
 200,000
 200,000
 
 
 
 
 
 


 West Dunbartonshire
 640,000
 
 
 640,000
 
 
 
 


 Inverclyde
 3,200,000
 3,000,000
 200,000
 
 
 
 
 


 Glasgow 
 300,000
 
 
 
 
 60,000
 240,000
 


 Fife
 4,877,337
 
 1,283,611
 400,000
 2,050,000
 98,000
 770,726
 275,000


 Angus
 80,000
 
 
 80,000
 
 
 
 


 Dundee
 280,000
 
 
 
 275,000
 
 5000
 


 Falkirk
 100,000
 100,000
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
 43,730,649
 6,633,574
 1,723,543
 19,986,014
 5,391,136
 8,258,000
 1,463,382
 275,000

Enterprise

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what importance it places on encouraging Scottish entrepreneurs.

Nicol Stephen: The Executive has set economic growth as the number one priority and we are determined to create the right environment and conditions where business can thrive. The Smart Successful Scotland strategy sets out our approach to achieving this. One of the key components of the strategy is a drive to develop and sustain a higher level of entrepreneurial activity in our society.

  The provision of good quality support and assistance through the enterprise networks will remain crucial to this work. In the longer term, real improvements in our cultural approach to entrepreneurship and enterprise will benefit significantly from our enterprise in education programme. The £86 million we have made available to deliver the Determined to Succeed strategy in every school is a clear mark of the scale of our commitment.

Enterprise

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of its departments operate targets for deregulation and, if so, what these targets are.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive does not set deregulation targets.

  We have a wide ranging commitment toward Better Regulation (not just deregulation), as set out in the Framework for Economic Development in Scotland (FEDS), delivered by all departments assisted by the Improving Regulation Unit and the industry-led Regulatory Review sub-group of the Small Business Consultative Group.

Environmental Justice

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-27123 by Rhona Brankin on 20 July 2006, whether the £1 million made available under the Environmental Justice Fund will be carried over to the next financial year if the Executive’s review of the range of funding available for the promotion of local environmental regeneration projects is not finalised by the end of March 2007.

Ross Finnie: Under current spending plans, the budget for the Fund rises from £1 million in 2006-07 in 2006-07 to £2 million in 2007-08. The allocation of any end-year underspends available to carry forward into 2007-08, in this or any other area of spending will be determined once the Executive’s overall outturn position for 2006-07 and requirements for spending in 2007-08 are known. This will be announced to the Scottish Parliament as in previous years.

Freedom of Information

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many exemptions it has applied under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 to requests for information in each month since January 2005.

Ms Margaret Curran: Information on the use of exemptions by the Scottish Executive during 2005 is available in a report on information request handling in the Scottish Executive. This report is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 39491) and on the Freedom of Information pages of the Scottish Executive website:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/04/monitor2.

  The Executive will be publishing the report for requests received during the first six months of 2006 once the figures for this period have been analysed.

Freedom of Information

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the top five most commonly used exemptions it has applied under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 are to requests for information in each month since January 2005.

Margaret Curran: Information on the level of use of each exemption by the Scottish Executive during 2005 is available in a report on information request handling in the Scottish Executive. This report is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 39491) and on the Freedom of Information pages of the Scottish Executive website:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/04/monitor2. 

  The Executive will be publishing the report for requests received during the first six months of 2006 once the figures for this period have been analysed.

Freedom of Information

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many internal review requests it has received following the application by officials of exemptions under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 in each month since January 2005.

Margaret Curran: An applicant may request an internal review if dissatisfied with the way in which a Scottish public authority has dealt with a request for information, including the application of exemptions. Information on numbers of internal reviews requested of the Scottish Executive during 2005 is available in a report on information request handling in the Scottish Executive. This report is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 39491) and on the Freedom of Information pages of the Scottish Executive website:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/04/monitor2.

  The Executive will be publishing the report for requests received during the first six months of 2006 once the figures for this period have been analysed.

Freedom of Information

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many internal reviews by it under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 resulted in successful appeals to the Scottish Information Commissioner since January 2005.

Margaret Curran: A request by an applicant for an internal review of a decision is required before any appeal for a Decision of the Scottish Information Commissioner can be made. To end of July 2006, 108 Executive requests have been appealed to the Scottish Information Commissioner and he has issued decisions to date in 33 of these cases. Detail about the decisions, including whether or not the commissioner has upheld the appeal, is published on the commissioner’s website:

  http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/appealsdecisions/decisions/index.php.

Freedom of Information

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many requests for information to it resulted in an appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner in each month since January 2005.

Ms Margaret Curran: Information on appeals and Decisions of the Scottish Information Commissioner, including those concerning the Executive are published on the Commissioner’s website:

  http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/appealsdecisions/index.htm.

  As of 31 July 2006 the website shows 75 outstanding investigations and 33 where a decision has been issued concerning the Executive.

Freedom of Information

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many requests for information received by it have not been responded to within the required 20 working day period stipulated by the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 in each month since Jan 2005 and expressed as a percentage of the total number of requests made.

Ms Margaret Curran: Information on the number and percentage of requests dealt with by the Scottish Executive within the 20 working-day time period during 2005 is available in a report on information request handling in the Scottish Executive. This report is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 39491) and on the Freedom of Information pages of the Scottish Executive website http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/04/monitor2 . The Executive will be publishing the report for requests received during the first six months of 2006 once the figures for this period have been analysed.

Health

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17919 by George Lyon on 9 September 2005, in how many deaths (a) heroin, (b) ecstasy, (c) amphetamines, (d) other illicit substances, (e) alcohol and (f) tobacco were recorded as causes in each year since 1990, broken down by NHS board.

George Lyon: Available information on the number of drug-related deaths involving heroin, ecstasy, or amphetamines is given in tables a to c below. As individual deaths may involve a number of drugs, it is not possible to say how many deaths were caused by each specific drug. Because many drugs of abuse may be obtained legally but subsequently used illegally, it is not possible to provide information on "other illicit" drugs. The information is not available for 1990-95. Data on drug-related deaths in 2005 will be published on 31 August.

  Table d below gives figures for alcohol-related deaths. This uses a definition recently introduced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) following wide consultation. The use of this new definition means that the totals differ from those given in the answer to question S2W-17919. Further information on the new definition may be found on the ONS website at:

  http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=14496.

  The effect of the change is to count as "alcohol-related" deaths from certain causes which were not previously so defined. In 2005, 181 people died from these causes.

  It is unusual for doctors to mention tobacco (or smoking) as a contributory cause of death when completing death certificates. For example, of the 55,747 deaths registered in 2005, tobacco/smoking was mentioned on fewer than 300 occasions. However, in Health in Scotland 2004, the Chief Medical Officer reported that some 13,000 Scots die each year from smoking-related illness.

  Table a: Deaths Involving Heroin/Morphine1

  

 NHS Board
 1996
 1997
 1998
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004


 Scotland
 84
 74
 121
 167
 196
 216
 248
 175
 225


 Argyll and Clyde
 3
 7
 15
 21
 26
 16
 25
 22
 22


 Ayrshire and Arran
 2
 2
 2
 7
 14
 21
 22
 12
 12


 Borders
 
 1
 
 
 1
 1
 
 1
 1


 Dumfries and Galloway
 1
 3
 2
 5
 4
 6
 6
 6
 4


 Fife
 
 3
 1
 6
 4
 8
 5
 4
 12


 Forth Valley
 
 1
 
 4
 4
 4
 16
 7
 8


 Grampian
 11
 10
 14
 26
 18
 28
 32
 27
 26


 Greater Glasgow
 57
 37
 67
 69
 85
 78
 96
 60
 85


 Highland
 
 
 1
 4
 
 2
 4
 
 4


 Lanarkshire
 4
 6
 12
 16
 20
 17
 25
 19
 25


 Lothian
 4
 3
 7
 8
 15
 29
 14
 9
 17


 Orkney
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Shetland
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Tayside
 2
 1
 
 1
 5
 5
 2
 8
 9


 Western Isles
 
 
 
 
 
 1
 1
 
 



  Note: 1. The table shows a combined total for heroin/morphine as it is believed that, in the overwhelming majority of cases where morphine has been identified in post-mortem toxicological analyses its presence is as a result of heroin use.

  Table b: Deaths Involving Ecstasy

  

 NHS Board
 1996
 1997
 1998
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004


 Scotland
 9
 2
 3
 8
 11
 20
 20
 14
 17


 Argyll and Clyde
 1
 
 
 
 1
 1
 2
 1
 3


 Ayrshire and Arran
 
 
 
 
 
 1
 2
 
 2


 Borders
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1


 Dumfries and Galloway
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Fife
 
 
 1
 
 1
 1
 
 1
 1


 Forth Valley
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1
 
 


 Grampian
 2
 
 
 2
 2
 4
 4
 2
 1


 Greater Glasgow
 2
 1
 1
 2
 3
 8
 2
 6
 3


 Highland
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Lanarkshire
 
 1
 1
 1
 2
 2
 4
 1
 1


 Lothian
 3
 
 
 2
 1
 3
 5
 2
 2


 Orkney
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Shetland
 
 
 
 
 1
 
 
 
 


 Tayside
 1
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3


 Western Isles
 
 
 
 1
 
 
 
 1
 



  Table c: Deaths Involving Amphetamines

  

 NHS board
 1996
 1997
 1998
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004


 Scotland
 5
 6
 7
 7
 3
 5
 13
 10
 10


 Argyll and Clyde
 1
 
 1
 
 
 
 
 1
 


 Ayrshire and Arran
 
 
 
 1
 
 2
 
 
 


 Borders
 1
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Dumfries and Galloway
 
 
 
 
 
 1
 
 1
 


 Fife
 
 
 1
 
 1
 
 
 
 1


 Forth Valley
 
 1
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Grampian
 1
 
 
 
 
 
 4
 1
 2


 Greater Glasgow
 1
 1
 2
 2
 
 
 2
 3
 5


 Highland
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1
 


 Lanarkshire
 
 2
 1
 
 
 1
 5
 1
 


 Lothian
 1
 1
 2
 2
 2
 1
 1
 1
 2


 Orkney
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Shetland
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1
 
 


 Tayside
 
 1
 
 2
 
 
 
 1
 


 Western Isles
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



  Table d: Alcohol-Related Deaths

  

 NHS Board
 1990
 1991
 1992
 1993
 1994
 1995
 1996
 1997


 Scotland
 657
 624
 582
 633
 741
 832
 983
 1,061


 Argyll and Clyde
 71
 70
 60
 65
 80
 92
 117
 132


 Ayrshire and Arran
 58
 45
 32
 41
 40
 45
 63
 104


 Borders
 8
 8
 6
 7
 12
 11
 8
 10


 Dumfries and Galloway
 7
 13
 12
 11
 14
 14
 15
 15


 Fife
 33
 27
 20
 36
 33
 40
 41
 28


 Forth Valley
 34
 28
 35
 36
 33
 26
 29
 51


 Grampian
 53
 48
 46
 52
 54
 66
 66
 62


 Greater Glasgow
 189
 138
 127
 162
 199
 240
 324
 300


 Highland
 14
 30
 26
 24
 45
 44
 35
 45


 Lanarkshire
 53
 70
 73
 75
 78
 83
 86
 114


 Lothian
 82
 95
 83
 70
 92
 98
 124
 130


 Orkney
 2
 1
 3
 1
 1
 4
 3
 3


 Shetland
 6
 6
 6
 1
 3
 2
 3
 4


 Tayside
 44
 45
 51
 49
 53
 58
 63
 60


 Western Isles
 3
 
 2
 3
 4
 9
 6
 3



  Table d: Alcohol-Related Deaths (Continued)

  

 NHS Board
 1998
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004
 2005


 Scotland
 1,127
 1,249
 1,292
 1,398
 1,487
 1,525
 1,478
 1,513


 Argyll and Clyde
 146
 142
 150
 163
 174
 173
 138
 177


 Ayrshire and Arran
 79
 80
 84
 91
 106
 109
 100
 87


 Borders
 16
 10
 10
 13
 19
 12
 22
 13


 Dumfries and Galloway
 19
 16
 20
 23
 25
 31
 26
 31


 Fife
 51
 55
 75
 57
 75
 63
 61
 76


 Forth Valley
 49
 54
 58
 72
 62
 64
 67
 59


 Grampian
 63
 92
 97
 99
 85
 95
 96
 97


 Greater Glasgow
 319
 354
 341
 386
 394
 406
 387
 376


 Highland
 40
 46
 63
 52
 66
 58
 59
 62


 Lanarkshire
 136
 143
 126
 141
 171
 163
 171
 184


 Lothian
 130
 164
 187
 191
 194
 203
 198
 221


 Orkney
 4
 2
 5
 10
 4
 7
 7
 3


 Shetland
 3
 1
 1
 5
 1
 3
 6
 6


 Tayside
 67
 83
 72
 92
 100
 125
 128
 109


 Western Isles
 5
 7
 3
 3
 11
 13
 12
 12

Health

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many PFI/PPP hospitals commissioned by NHS boards have been built with air-conditioning in place on opening, in light of recent reports of staff at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh fainting as a result of high temperatures.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is not held centrally. When commissioning new Scottish hospitals, the specification of air conditioning is a matter for NHSScotland Bodies to consider in accordance with statutory standards and current operational guidance.

Health

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has taken any steps to identify how many hospitals built under PFI/PPP contracts have experienced problems with excessive heat, in light of recent reports of staff at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh fainting as a result of high temperatures.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive has not taken steps to identify how many hospitals built under PFI/PPP contracts have experienced problems with excessive heat. However, a report commissioned to evaluate the performance of Public Private Partnerships in Scotland was published by the Executive in May 2005. In general, the research found no evidence that PPP operators delivered a better or worse standard of service than the public sector. The report can be found at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/05/05153704/37067.

  The output specifications for such contracts are expected to meet the requirements of statutory standards and the detailed operational guidance available to NHSScotland in relation to the environmental control of healthcare buildings and are a matter for individual NHSScotland bodies responsible for each.

Health

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to ensure that new-build schools and hospitals do not suffer problems with excessive heat, in light of recent reports of staff at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh fainting as a result of high temperatures.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive has taken no specific action to ensure that new-build schools and hospitals do not suffer problems with excessive heat as issues such as the output specifications and operational management for such contracts are, in the case of schools, a matter for individual local authorities and, in the case of hospitals, a matter for individual NHSScotland bodies.

  All building procurements are expected to meet the requirements of statutory standards and the operational guidance available in relation to environmental control.

Health

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) "go-live" date and (b) initial set-up cost was for each Health Scotland website and what the (i) operational cost and (ii) number of hits has been in each year of operation of these sites.

Mr Andy Kerr: This is an operational matter for NHS Health Scotland. Their contact details are:

  NHS Health Scotland Woodburn House Canaan Lane, Edinburgh, EH10 4SG Tel: 0131 536 5500 E-mail: foi@health.scot.nhs.uk.

Health

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the £10 per day car parking charge in operation at Edinburgh’s new Royal Infirmary was waived for Gordon Brown MP during his recent visit for the birth of his child.

Mr Andy Kerr: NHS Lothian advise me that parking charges were not waived for Gordon Brown MP during his recent attendance at the hospital for the birth of his son.

Justice

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the basis was of its decision to set a target of a 10% reduction in the number of persistent young offenders by March 2006.

Cathy Jamieson: We identified the disproportionately negative impact that the behaviour of a small minority of young people were having on victims, communities and their own life chances.

  We remain determined to prevent that behaviour wherever possible, and confront it when it does occur. That was and is the basis for our focus on persistent young offenders.

  With almost one in three offence referrals to Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration attributable to persistent young offenders, the intention was to encourage concerned agencies to unite to tackle repeat offending and focus finite resources in ways that could provide most support to those young people who need it, and the most immediate relief to communities affected by youth crime.

  A 10% reduction in the number of persistent young offenders would have seen 120 of the most recidivist young people in Scotland lifted out of a life of crime, and each of them not being referred in respect of an average nine offences per annum. That could potentially have seen over 1,000 fewer victims of youth crime in each year since 2003-04.

Justice

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children in local authority care homes have been charged with a crime in each of the last 10 years, broken down by local authority area.

Cathy Jamieson: The information requested is not held centrally.

Languages

Ms Maureen Watt (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings have taken place between civil servants and Scots language organisations in connection with the development of the national languages strategy, since February 2006.

Ms Maureen Watt (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how often it plans to meet Scots language organisations to assist in the process of developing its national languages strategy.

Ms Maureen Watt (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the discussions with Scots organisations, designed to promote and develop the Scots language, referred to in Scotland’s Culture , have taken place.

Ms Maureen Watt (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its timetable is for the development of a national languages strategy and whether it will explain any delay in meeting its earlier targets for the development of such a strategy.

Patricia Ferguson: Scottish ministers intend to issue the National Language Strategy for consultation later this year and to have it finalised within the life of this Parliament. This timetable is consistent with the Executive’s commitments set out in the Partnership Agreement for a Better Scotland . This will provide the opportunity for organisations representing the regional forms of Scots to submit their views to the Scottish Executive.

  Since February 2006, Scottish Executive officials have met with the representatives of two Scots language organisations. At present there are no plans for further specific meetings with Scots language organisations before the draft National Language Strategy is published.

Languages

Ms Maureen Watt (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take steps to set up a Scots language advisory group with responsibility for assisting it with the development of appropriate policies to support the Scots language.

Ms Maureen Watt (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to take on board the views of organisations representing the regional dialects of Scots when it formulates policies designed to promote and develop the Scots language.

Patricia Ferguson: The Scottish Executive’s consultation on the National Language Strategy will provide the opportunity for organisations representing the regional forms of Scots to submit their views to the Scottish Executive. Following Scottish ministers’ consideration of all of the views submitted on the strategy we expect to publish a final version of the National Language Strategy and take any other steps which we consider necessary. At this stage we have no plans to set up a Scots language advisory group.

Languages

Ms Maureen Watt (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many civil servants are working on the development of policies to promote and develop the Scots language.

Ms Maureen Watt (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many civil servants are working on the development of the national languages strategy.

Patricia Ferguson: The principal responsibility for Scots language issues, as well as for co-ordinating the development of the wider National Language Strategy, rests with the Cultural Policy Division of the Scottish Executive’s Education Department. Five civil servants are directly employed within the Division’s Language Unit, whilst others have responsibility for literature and broadcasting. However, a wide range of other officials in the Scottish Executive and Scottish public bodies have duties relating to language issues.

Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is monitoring the impact of new licensing laws on binge drinking.

George Lyon: As part of the implementation of the new licensing legislation consideration is being given to how its effects might best be monitored following the act’s full implementation in 2009.

Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is monitoring the use of new powers given to licensing boards in the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005.

George Lyon: The Scottish Executive already publishes statistics on liquor licensing with regards to the present legislation, these are being reassessed as to how the new act might best be monitored following its full implementation in 2009.

Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many petrol stations licensed to sell alcohol will be granted "grandfather rights" during the transition phase of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005.

George Lyon: Petrol stations whose local licensing boards determine as fulfilling the exemption criteria provided in the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 of fulfilling a retailing need within the locality will receive "grandfather rights".

Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many petrol stations licensed to sell alcohol there are in (a) Scotland, (b) rural areas and (c) urban areas.

George Lyon: The available information is given in table number 4 of the statistical bulletin Liquor Licensing in Scotland, 2000-04 published by the Scottish Executive in June 2005, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 36787). A breakdown of off-sale liquor licences by type of premises was not available for some council areas, as indicated in the table.

Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it will publish for licensing boards when considering (a) petrol stations not covered by the section 115 of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005, (b) the evidence required to demonstrate that a garage is, or is likely to become, a principal source of either fuel or groceries and (c) applications for new-build petrol stations licensed to sell alcohol.

George Lyon: The Scottish Executive is presently drafting guidance for Licensing Boards on the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 which will be published for public consultation in October. For petrol stations any guidance will reflect the need for licensing board decisions to be based on local knowledge and consider local circumstances.

Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many petrol stations licensed to sell alcohol it estimates will stop selling petrol in (a) Scotland, (b) rural areas and (c) urban areas as a result of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005.

George Lyon: The decision as to whether a petrol station maintains its alcohol licence will be one for the local licensing board and it is therefore not possible to ascertain how many will stop selling petrol at this time.

Ministerial Meetings

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning has met the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise in each year since 2003.

Nicol Stephen: According to diary records, the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning has met the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise on at least 14 occasions since 2003 (twice in 2003, twice in 2004, four times in 2005, and six times so far in 2006). The Chief Executive will also have been present at other meetings during this period where the Chair and he were not the only invitees.

NHS Hospitals

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many, and which, hospitals charge for car parking.

Mr Andy Kerr: There are 11 hospitals that charge for car parking.

  NHS Grampian

  Royal Infirmary, Aberdeen

  Aberdeen Maternity Hospital

  Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital

  NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

  Glasgow Royal Infirmary

  NHS Lothian

  Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh

  Western General, Edinburgh

  Royal Victoria, Edinburgh

  St John’s, Livingston

  NHS Tayside

  Perth Royal Infirmary

  Ninewells Hospital, Dundee

  Perth Royal Infirmary.

NHS Staff

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many full-time equivalent chiropodists have been employed by each NHS board in each of the last five years.

Lewis Macdonald: Information on staff employed in NHS Scotland is published on the Scottish Health Statistics website under Workforce Statistics, at www.isdscotland.org/workforce .

  Section F gives details of therapeutic, health care science, technical, pharmacy and ambulance staff in post. In particular, table F1 shows the whole-time equivalent (WTE) of therapeutic staff by NHS board, in each year from 1995. WTE adjusts headcount to take account of part time working.

NHS Staff

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many nursing staff have had their employment terminated after being offered redeployment in each NHS board in each of the last five years.

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many nursing staff have had their employment terminated after being offered redeployment due to ill-health in each NHS board in each of the last five years.

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many nursing staff have had their employment terminated after being offered redeployment due to organisational changes in each NHS board in each of the last five years.

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many nursing staff have had their employment terminated after being offered redeployment for any reason other than ill-health or organisational changes in each NHS board in each of the last five years.

Mr Andy Kerr: Information on the number of staff offered redeployment is not collected centrally.

National Health Service

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which Western Isles Health Board posts have been filled through the recruitment agency of which the interim board chair is a partner.

Mr Andy Kerr: Western Isles health board have advised that Thomson Partners advertised four posts on the board’s behalf and on the basis of the applications received identified those most suitable for interview. The board then undertook a normal NHS competitive appointments process. All such formal staff procedures within the NHS are governed by comprehensive, well-established rules, agreed with the trade unions and designed to ensure fairness and transparency. Thomson Partners and Mr Cleland were not involved in this process. The posts were:

  General Manager - Community

  General Manager – Hospital

  Finance Director

  Director of Organisational Development and Learning.

Nuclear Power

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to the Department of Trade and Industry’s statement in the UK Energy Review that, in respect of decisions on new nuclear power stations, "Since energy policy is a reserved matter, the responsibility for reaching a Justification decision would remain with the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry".

Allan Wilson: Under the Scotland Act 1998 nuclear safety, security and safeguards are reserved matters. Decisions on Justification of practices, including generation of nuclear power, are dealt with under the terms of the Justification of Practices Involving Ionising Radiation Regulations 2004. In the UK the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry is the "Justifying Authority" for civil nuclear power. If Justification is required, the Government will set up a Justification Liaison Group, with representatives from the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Department of Health, the regulators and the Devolved Administrations, to support the Justifying Authority in making its decision. As a statutory consultee the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency would have its views taken into consideration.

  A Justification decision (if required) would be a material consideration that ministers would take into account alongside all other material considerations in reaching a decision under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989.

Nuclear Power

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the Department of Trade and Industry’s responsibility for reaching a justification decision on new nuclear power stations would have on the power of the Scottish minister with responsibility for planning to stop the building of new nuclear power stations in Scotland.

Allan Wilson: The UK Energy Review document states "Planning is a devolved matter, and powers to grant consent for large power stations in Scotland (under the Electricity Act) have been executively devolved. Therefore it will be for Scottish ministers to decide on the relevant issues and approach to applications made to them under the Electricity Act regime."

  In considering an application to build a new power station under their powers under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 ministers must consider each application on its individual merits, and must take into account all material considerations. A justification decision made under the Basic Safety Standards Directive would form one such material consideration, alongside others.

Nuclear Power

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what considerations it can take into account when using planning powers in respect of decisions on new nuclear power stations.

Allan Wilson: Consent to build a power station under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 normally includes deemed planning consent. In considering an application to build a new power station under their powers under Section 36 ministers must consider each application on its individual merits. Ministers must take all material considerations into account, and ignore all irrelevant factors, when deciding whether to grant or refuse consent in an individual case. Examples of material considerations would be the economic, social, environmental, cultural and heritage impacts of a nuclear power station; health and safety issues; and relevant UK government and Executive policies.

Nuclear Power

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it provides for retraining employees involved in the decommissioning of nuclear power stations and how this funding can be accessed.

Allan Wilson: We anticipate that decommissioning activities in nuclear power stations will be a growth activity which will create demand for skilled employees for some decades to come. Officials in the Lifelong Learning Group are continuing to liaise with the NDA about how colleges in Scotland, that provide training for decommissioning skills, will benefit from the NDA Skills Strategy. Currently, a number of Scotland’s Colleges offer courses specialising in nuclear decommissioning. Funding for Scotland’s colleges will increase to almost £620 million by 2007-08.

  All student support for further education (below the higher national level) is discretionary and is administered by individual colleges. Information relating to the potential funding of an individual’s participation in a higher level course can be sought direct from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland.

Port Authorities

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that the Cromarty Firth Port Authority is fulfilling its role in consulting the local community as laid out in the guidelines for trust ports.

Tavish Scott: Cromarty Firth Port Authority is a trust port, an independent statutory body established under its own legislation. Operational matters are the responsibility of the port authority. While the guidelines for trust ports encourage consultation as necessary with port user groups and stakeholders of the port, the extent to which this is done is a matter for each port authority to determine and will depend upon the activities of individual ports.

  We are consulting on the future of the ports across Scotland as part of the National Transport Strategy.

Port Authorities

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what types of community consultation are undertaken by the Cromarty Firth Port Authority in the course of its work.

Tavish Scott: Cromarty Firth Port Authority is a trust port, an independent statutory body established under its own legislation and operating in a commercial environment. Operational matters, including community consultation, are the responsibility of the port authority.

Regulation

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what input its departments, agencies and non-departmental public bodies had to the Hampton review and its report, Reducing administrative burdens: effective inspection and enforcement.

Nicol Stephen: The Hampton Review considered the scope for reducing the administrative burden of regulation on businesses by promoting more efficient approaches to regulatory inspection and enforcement, without compromising regulatory standards or outcomes. Executive officials and representatives from several Scottish regulators met the Hampton team on a number of occasions during the preparation of their report and continue to work closely with the UK Government Departments responsible for rolling out the recommendations. The report relates to UK reserved or to England-only issues. There are however already many examples of Executive Agencies adopting some of the recommendations of the Hampton report especially those relating to the adoption of good practice and risk assessment.

Road Accidents

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many road accidents have been recorded at the Tomich junction on the A9 in each of the last 10 years.

Tavish Scott: The number of road accidents that have been recorded at the Tomich junction on the A9 in each of the last 10 years (January 1996 to December 2005) is as follows:

  

 Year
 Fatal
 Serious
 Slight


 1996
 0
 0
 0


 1997
 0
 0
 0


 1998
 0
 0
 0


 1999
 0
 0
 0


 2000
 0
 0
 0


 2001
 0
 0
 1


 2002
 0
 0
 0


 2003
 0
 1
 1


 2004
 0
 0
 2


 2005
 0
 0
 0


 Total
 0
 1
 4



  The figures quoted may differ slightly from those published elsewhere because they were extracted on a different date and the database may have changed between the two dates, e.g. due to late returns or corrections to earlier returns.

  Transport Scotland has the operational responsibility for this area, and can be contacted for more information if required.

Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is confident that the figures published by the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration in respect of persistent young offenders provide the most accurate picture of the scale of offending behaviour among young people.

Cathy Jamieson: We are content that the quarterly and annual youth justice figures published by the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration represent an accurate picture of offence referrals received by the administration.

  Minor or one-off incidences of offending behaviour where detected and admitted may not merit the consideration of compulsory supervision via referral to the Children’s Reporter, and could also be effectively dealt with by parental action, restorative police warnings or other diversionary activity.

Scottish Enterprise

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how Scottish Enterprise invests in energy saving developments.

Nicol Stephen: The Executive’s strategic direction to Scottish Enterprise requires it to help deliver the Scottish Executive’s green jobs strategy, with its twin aims of improving resource efficiency in business and exploiting new business opportunities.

  Information on Scottish Enterprise’s investments is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise.

Scottish Enterprise

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria Scottish Enterprise applies in allocating funding to energy saving developments.

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how much Scottish Enterprise spent on energy saving developments in (a) 2002, (b) 2003, (c) 2004 and (d) 2005.

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive in which energy saving developments Scottish Enterprise invested in (a) 2002, (b) 2003, (c) 2004 and (d) 2005.

Nicol Stephen: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise.

Scottish Environment Protection Agency

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff employed by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency are (a) graduates and (b) non-graduates.

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff have left the Scottish Environment Protection Agency other than through retirement in each quarter since January 2003.

Rhona Brankin: This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Executive. As this is an operational matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) I have asked Dr Campbell Gemmell, Chief Executive of SEPA, to respond to the question direct.

Scottish Environment Protection Agency

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive who authorises the employment of additional staff by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Rhona Brankin: It is a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to determine the staffing complement required to meet its statutory obligations and to appoint such employees as it thinks fit within the terms of its management statement and financial memorandum, subject to affordability within the financial constraints imposed by the annual budget settlement approved by the Scottish Parliament.

Scottish Executive Funding

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it has given to research and development companies based in Scotland in respect of medical innovations since 1999

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive how many companies in receipt of research and development funding from the Executive have had their innovations piloted by NHS boards since 1999.

Nicol Stephen: Since 1 January 1999 the Scottish Executive has provided £9.7 million of funding to some 96 projects in 68 research and development companies based in Scotland with respect to medical innovations. This funding has come from the Executive’s SMART, SPUR, SPUR PLUS and SCORE programmes. The Executive does not hold any information with regards to how many of these companies in receipt of this funding have had their innovations piloted by NHS boards.

Sheltered Housing

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent the provision of sheltered housing by local authorities and housing associations is meeting current and future needs.

Malcolm Chisholm: Data on demand for sheltered housing is not collected centrally. However, local authorities are required to identify how they intend to deliver suitable housing to various population groups, including older people, in their Local Housing Strategy (LHS), which are assessed by Communities Scotland.

  The Scottish Executive is currently carrying out a review of older people’s housing looking at various aspects of housing for older people including: needs; the condition of current sheltered housing stock; the changing role of sheltered housing and future delivery by all sheltered housing providers. This review is expected to be completed in March 2007 and will inform future policy.

Sheltered Housing

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current supply of sheltered housing is in each local authority area, broken down by tenure type.

Malcolm Chisholm: Information on the provision of sheltered housing is available in tables 20 and 22 of the statistical bulletin Quarterly housing trends in Scotland: Quarter ending 31 March 2005 . The bulletin can be accessed at the Scottish Executive website at address:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration/PubHousingTrend

  Table 20 gives information for March 2004 for all social housing including housing associations. Table 22 gives information for March 2005 for local authority and Scottish Homes housing only. The statistical bulletin Quarterly housing trends in Scotland: Quarter ending 31 March 2006, which will be published on 30 August 2006 will update these tables to 31 March 2005 and 31 March 2006 respectively.

  Information on sheltered accommodation provided by the private sector is not held centrally.

Sheltered Housing

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what trends there have been in respect of the provision of sheltered housing by local authority area since 1999.

Malcolm Chisholm: The following table shows the number of sheltered accommodation dwellings provided by public authorities and housing associations from 1999 to 2004. Information on sheltered accommodation provided by the private sector is not held centrally. Updated figures for 2005 will be published on 30 August 2006 in the statistical bulletin Quarterly housing trends in Scotland: Quarter ending 31 March 2006 which can be accessed online at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration/PubHousingTrend.

  Sheltered Housing Provided by Public Authorities and Housing Associations as at 31 March: 1999-2004

  

 
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004


 Scotland
 35,296
 35,348
 34,615
 34,247
 33,861
 32,758


 Aberdeen City
 2,562
 2,556
 2,540
 2,542
 2,589
 2,718


 Aberdeenshire
 2,022
 1,963
 2,036
 2,053
 2,068
 2,070


 Angus
 1,092
 1,123
 1,099
 1,101
 1,070
 1,061


 Argyll and Bute
 590
 590
 616
 586
 586
 586


 Clackmannanshire
 239
 239
 239
 227
 166
 166


 Dumfries and Galloway
 696
 639
 655
 668
 643
 747


 Dundee City
 4,057
 3,973
 4,203
 3,964
 3,656
 3,604


 East Ayrshire
 734
 662
 683
 683
 626
 626


 East Dunbartonshire
 336
 341
 412
 399
 399
 399


 East Lothian
 452
 452
 435
 435
 435
 434


 East Renfrewshire
 417
 417
 382
 378
 373
 374


 Edinburgh, City of
 3,694
 3,721
 3,296
 3,328
 3,334
 3,266


 Eilean Siar
 212
 203
 161
 158
 120
 132


 Falkirk
 754
 754
 672
 660
 660
 745


 Fife
 1,887
 1,913
 1,992
 1,991
 1,774
 1,751


 Glasgow City
 3,785
 4,293
 3,391
 3,241
 3,517
 3,158


 Highland
 799
 972
 1,092
 1,099
 1,071
 1,043


 Inverclyde
 824
 468
 475
 481
 467
 467


 Midlothian
 288
 288
 287
 288
 276
 276


 Moray
 497
 448
 488
 495
 495
 496


 North Ayrshire
 668
 668
 636
 636
 670
 670


 North Lanarkshire
 1,569
 1,596
 1,666
 1,669
 1,789
 1,821


 Orkney Islands
 44
 44
 46
 51
 46
 46


 Perth and Kinross
 972
 936
 947
 947
 915
 917


 Renfrewshire
 733
 730
 761
 777
 775
 775


 Scottish Borders, The
 995
 1,019
 1,036
 1,027
 996
 996


 Shetland Islands
 288
 288
 286
 287
 274
 263


 South Ayrshire
 789
 791
 738
 739
 764
 140


 South Lanarkshire
 1,645
 1,597
 1,592
 1,587
 1,602
 1,599


 Stirling
 452
 452
 527
 525
 546
 284


 West Dunbartonshire
 456
 478
 509
 508
 454
 454


 West Lothian
 748
 734
 717
 717
 705
 674



  Source: S1B returns from local authorities to Scottish Executive Development Department: Analytical Services Division (Housing Statistics), housing association/Scottish Homes data from Communities Scotland.

  Note: 1. Figures may include estimates from local authorities.

Sheltered Housing

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an estimate of the demand for sheltered housing (a) currently, (b) in 2010 and (c) in 2015.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive does not compile estimates or projections of the demand for sheltered housing. The General Register Office for Scotland provides projections of numbers of households by age and type. The latest, 2004 based projections are available at:

  http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/library/household-estimates-projections/index.html.

  As part of their Local Housing Strategies local authorities are required to identify how they intend to deliver suitable housing to various population groups, including older people.

  Assessments of the possible future scale and nature of the housing and support needs of the elderly will be informed by the review of older people’s housing described in answer to question S2W-27618 on 28 August 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Sites of Special Scientific Interest

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance or direction it has provided to public bodies in relation to their general duties to protect and enhance Sites of Special Scientific Interest under section 12 of the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 and what steps it is taking to ensure that this section is complied with.

Rhona Brankin: The obligations placed upon public bodies by section 12 of the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 are clearly set out in the act itself. No supplementary guidance in relation to section 12 has been published.

Sites of Special Scientific Interest

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it expects Scottish Natural Heritage to issue site management statements under section 4(2) of the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 for Sites of Special Scientific Interest notified under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and, if so, what the timetable is for such statements being issued.

Rhona Brankin: The SNH programme for producing Site Management Statements (SMS) for Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) notified under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 is now complete with the exception of two sites where the SMS is pending the completion of management agreement negotiations.

Small Businesses

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many small businesses that began trading since 1997 have subsequently ceased trading, broken down by local authority area.

Nicol Stephen: Data on the number of VAT registrations and de-registrations are collected by the Small Business Service, an agency of the Department of Trade and Industry. Businesses that are registered for VAT can be tracked from the time they first register until the time that they notify HM Revenues & Customs that they have ceased trading or that their turnover has fallen below the VAT threshold.

  The table below shows the survival rates of Scottish businesses initially registered between 1997 and 2002 which were still registered in 2003, broken down by Local Enterprise Company area. These are the latest available data:

  

 LEC Area
 Year Registered


 1997
 1998
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002


 Ayrshire
 47.8%
 49.6%
 56.5%
 67.1%
 79.6%
 91.2%


 Borders
 53.4%
 62.3%
 70.1%
 78.0%
 85.8%
 94.0%


 Dunbartonshire
 48.5%
 47.1%
 57.5%
 67.8%
 80.3%
 93.8%


 Dumfries and Galloway
 56.4%
 60.0%
 68.8%
 77.9%
 90.3%
 96.9%


 Fife
 50.6%
 52.2%
 62.4%
 70.1%
 80.8%
 92.8%


 Forth Valley
 52.7%
 54.0%
 61.0%
 66.5%
 81.1%
 91.9%


 Glasgow
 34.0%
 39.9%
 49.8%
 61.5%
 75.1%
 89.7%


 Grampian
 52.0%
 56.7%
 64.2%
 73.9%
 85.9%
 92.6%


 Lanarkshire
 47.7%
 51.0%
 55.1%
 66.1%
 75.6%
 91.0%


 Lothian and Edinburgh
 45.1%
 49.2%
 58.2%
 69.8%
 79.3%
 91.1%


 Renfrewshire
 42.9%
 45.9%
 56.6%
 64.7%
 76.7%
 93.4%


 Tayside
 50.3%
 53.4%
 61.7%
 70.1%
 83.9%
 92.9%


 Inverness and Nairn
 54.4%
 60.6%
 65.4%
 73.5%
 81.4%
 94.8%


 Moray Badenoch and Strathspey
 55.6%
 60.8%
 71.0%
 76.5%
 85.1%
 92.7%


 Caithness and Sutherland/Ross and Cromarty*
 60.1%
 63.3%
 71.0%
 73.6%
 85.4%
 91.5%


 Orkney/Shetland*
 64.6%
 75.1%
 71.1%
 76.6%
 93.9%
 97.2%


 Skye and Lochalsh/Western Isles*
 60.1%
 56.3%
 69.2%
 74.8%
 88.4%
 90.5%


 Lochaber/Argyll and the Islands*
 61.7%
 68.0%
 73.0%
 75.2%
 87.8%
 95.4%


 Scotland
 47.8%
 51.5%
 59.5%
 69.0%
 80.5%
 92.0%



  Source: Small Business Service, DTI.

  Note:*Data has been aggregated for these LECs.

  Although the principal reason for business de-registration is when a business has ceased trading, businesses can de-register for VAT for other reasons e.g. a de-registration could be associated with a merger with another firm to form a new business.

  Please note that these figures do not account for all business activity as only companies with a turnover above the VAT threshold are required to register.

  Care should be taken when drawing conclusions from differences in survival rates between regions. While survival rates are linked to economic conditions, lower survival rates for businesses might also indicate an increase in economic performance. Higher levels of business entry and exit, known as "productive churn", are more likely to lead to improvements in productivity and economic growth, with highly productive or innovative businesses displacing less efficient businesses.

Voluntary Sector

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any representations on trustee indemnity insurance and, if so, how many representations have been received and what its responses were.

Johann Lamont: The Scottish Executive has received 18 written enquiries about the restrictions on the provision, by charities, of trustee indemnity insurance under the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005. The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) has received over 30 written enquiries about the issue.

  The standard reply that has been sent to the majority of the enquirers who wrote to the Scottish Executive is as follows:

  "Section 67 of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) 2005 Act, as passed by Parliament, allows the provision of trustee indemnity insurance by the charity as long as less than half of the total number of trustees (or those connected under section 68) receive remuneration. Charities which have a constitution with an authorising provision before 15 November 2004, or those with entitlements set out in an order made by the Court of Session or any enactment can continue to remunerate trustees (including providing them with indemnity insurance) according to these provisions.

  Concern about the restrictions on the provision of trustee indemnity insurance by charities has been raised with the Scottish Executive by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) and a range of other bodies.

  We are looking into this issue and considering the options available to us to address it. If it is felt that this restriction on providing trustees with indemnity insurance from charity funds is problematic then we will take measures to resolve the issue."

Voluntary Sector

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any difficulties experienced by the voluntary sector in relation to trustee indemnity insurance.

Johann Lamont: The Scottish Executive is aware of the concerns of the voluntary sector about the restrictions on the provision of trustee indemnity insurance from charity funds under the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005. We are looking into this issue and considering the options available to us to address it. If it is felt that these restrictions are problematic then we will take measures to resolve the issue.

Water Safety

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many samples of water were taken from customers’ taps to be examined for lead content in 2005.

Rhona Brankin: Scottish Water carried out 1,742 tests for lead, on samples of water taken from customers’ taps, in 2005.

Water Safety

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many samples of water taken from customers’ taps to be examined for lead content in 2005 exceeded the current standard of 25 micrograms per litre.

Rhona Brankin: Twenty-one of the 1,742 tests for lead, carried out by Scottish Water on samples of water taken from customers’ taps in 2005, exceeded the current standard of 25 microgrammes per litre.

Water Safety

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many samples of water taken from customers’ taps to be examined for lead content in 2005 exceeded the World Health Organization and European Commission target of 10 micrograms per litre.

Rhona Brankin: Fifty-seven of the 1,742 tests for lead, carried out by Scottish Water on samples of water taken from customers’ taps in 2005, exceeded the European Drinking Water Directive standard of 10 microgrammes per litre that comes into force in 2013.

Water Safety

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have suspended testing for lead in water in domestic customers’ supplies.

Rhona Brankin: Information on local authority testing of the public water supply is not held centrally by the Scottish Executive.

Young People

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many young people were not in education, employment or training in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Nicol Stephen: Annual estimates of the numbers of young people not in education, employment or training nationally are taken from the Annual Population Survey. For most local authorities, the sample size of the survey for people aged 16 to 19 is too small to provide reliable estimates of those not in employment, education or training. Table 1 shows the estimates available from 2003 onwards.

  Prior to 2003, the sample size in Scotland was smaller and it was not possible to produce reliable estimates of the numbers of young people not in education, employment or training at a local level. Table 2 gives the estimates for Scotland for the years 1999 to 2002.

  Table 1: Proportion and Number of 16 to 19-Year-Olds Not in Education, Employment or Training by Local Authority Area 2003 to 2005

  

 
 March 2003 to 
February 2004
 January 2004 to 
December 2004
 January 2005 to 
December 2005


 Proportion
Number
NEET
 Proportion
Number
NEET
 Proportion
Number
NEET


 Scotland
 13.7%
 35,000
 13.2%
 35,000
 14.0%
 36,000


 Aberdeen City
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Aberdeenshire
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Angus
 15.1%
 1,000
 *
 *
 15.3%
 1,000


 Argyll and Bute
 12.6%
 1,000
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Clackmannanshire
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Dumfries and Galloway
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Dundee City
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 East Ayrshire
 13.7%
 1,000
 17.5%
 1,000
 14.0%
 1,000


 East Dunbartonshire
 8.5%
 1,000
 *
 *
 *
 *


 East Lothian
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 East Renfrewshire
 10.1%
 1,000
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Edinburgh, City of
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Eilean Siar
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Falkirk
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Fife
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Glasgow City
 19.0%
 6,000
 22.1%
 7,000
 25.8%
 8,000


 Highland
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Inverclyde
 17.7%
 1,000
 18.5%
 1,000
 14.8%
 1,000


 Midlothian
 19.6%
 1,000
 15.6%
 1,000
 20.1%
 1,000


 Moray
 *
 *
 *
 *
 13.3%
 1,000


 North Ayrshire
 17.9%
 1,000
 20.5%
 1,000
 11.1%
 1,000


 North Lanarkshire
 21.9%
 4,000
 *
 *
 21.2%
 4,000


 Orkney Islands
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Perth and Kinross
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Renfrewshire
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Scottish Borders
 13.9%
 1,000
 *
 *
 12.0%
 1,000


 Shetland Islands
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 South Ayrshire
 15.9%
 1,000
 19.5%
 1,000
 11.9%
 1,000


 South Lanarkshire
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *


 Stirling
 11.9%
 1,000
 16.3%
 1,000
 15.0%
 1,000


 West Dunbartonshire
 16.6%
 1,000
 19.2%
 1,000
 16.2%
 1,000


 West Lothian
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *
 *



  Source: Annual Scottish Labour Force Survey 2003-04 Annual Population Survey 2004 and 2005.

  Notes:

  * - estimate withheld as below reliability threshold

  1. Numbers (other than proportions) rounded to the nearest thousand.

  2. Proportions are calculated on unrounded figures.

  3. Totals may not equal the sum of individual parts due to rounding.

  Table 2: Proportion and Number of 16 to 19-Year-Olds Not in Education, Employment or Training, Scotland 1999 to 2002

  

 Year
 Proportion
 Number


 1999
 14.9%
 37,000


 2000
 15.0%
 38,000


 2001
 15.4%
 38,000


 2002
 14.0% 
 35,000



  Source: Labour Force Survey combined quarters.

  Notes:

  1. Numbers (other than proportions) rounded to the nearest thousand.

  2. Proportions are calculated on unrounded figures.